The present invention relates generally to multipurpose tools and more specifically to a compact tool adapted for field dressing small game.
Field dressing is the procedure performed by hunters proximate the time of taking a game animal to prevent the contamination and spoiling of the game meat. Typically, field dressing is performed to immediately remove the entrails and the feed from the animal before transporting the meat to a site for final cleaning, refrigeration or cooking.
Typically bird hunters carry the birds obtained in a pouch or vest pocket until the hunt is completed. Due to the inconvenience and the mess associated with common field dressing techniques many hunters leave the birds in a pouch until reaching a destination more suitable to cleaning and storing the birds. This practice often results in the meat spoiling due to the ambient heat and the heat remaining in the entrails of the bird. Even if the meat does not spoil the feed may ferment and or the entrails contaminate the meat deleteriously affecting the taste of the meat. Many hunters perform a quick and dirty form of field dressing that again often leaves feed and entrails that may spoil or contaminate the meat.
Although field dressing birds and small game is much simpler then dressing larger game such as deer and elk all to often meat is lost due to failure to timely dress or completely dress the capture. In fact, small game captures are often lost or spoiled because it is easier and less messy to take the entire carcass to a location more convenient for cleaning, although the meat is spoiling and degrading during the trip.
The method of field cleaning small game is also determined by the desired method of cooking the capture. For example, if it is desired to only cook the breast of a bird, which is often the case with dove and quail, it is only necessary to remove the breast of the bird. In this case the skin is peeled from the breast, the feed and entrails removed, and the wings cut from the breast. This method of field dressing can be done fairly rapidly in the field.
Often times it is desired to maintain the whole bird for cooking. This is often desired with the smaller birds such as dove and quail as well as for turkeys, ducks, pheasants and other popular game birds. Cleaning whole birds is typically a messy, time consuming, and not necessarily pleasant project, it is even more difficult when it is desired to maintain the skin on the bird. An example of cleaning a whole turkey is: lay the turkey on it""s back; find a spot between the sternum and the anus of the bird and make an incision, just through the skin, large enough to insert your hand; reach into the incision and pull out the entrails, making sure the heart and lungs are removed; follow the intestine down and cut the anus out not rupturing the intestines; cut at the neck of the turkey and remove the feed from the top of the breast; wash and wipe out the interior of the turkey; and pluck the turkey. The legs and wings should also be removed, although it may be necessary to leave one for identification pursuant to hunting regulations.
It is common in prior art techniques for cleaning a bird to utilize a knife and the user""s hands. As can be imagined this can be a very messy process often resulting in undesirable and contaminating material being left in contact with meat.
It is therefore a desire to provide a unitary tool that may be utilized to effectively and efficiently field dress small game such as fowl. It is a desire to provide a unitary tool that includes shears, a knife including an entrail hook and an entrail rake. It may be a further desire to include shears, knife with entrail hook and entrail rake in a foldable, unitary tool.
It is thus one feature of the present invention to provide a unitary game dressing tool having shears, a knife including an entrail hook and an entrail rake.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a unitary game dressing tool having shears, a knife including an entrail hook and an entrail rake that is foldable into a safe a convenient tool for transport.
It is still a further feature of the present invention to provide a unitary game dressing tool that is structured for easy cleaning to remove undesirable material and contaminating material.
Accordingly, a field dressing tool of the type for field dressing small game is provided. The field dressing tool including: a pair of handles each having a first and second end, each handle forming a trough; a cutting blade connected to a first end of each of said handles, the cutting blades functionally interconnected by a pivot joint; a knife member having a first edge tapering to a point and a notch formed proximate the point on a edge opposite the first edge, the knife member pivotally connected to the second end of one of the handles and pivotable from a position disposed within a trough to a position extending from a handle; and a rake member pivotally connected to the second end of one of the handles, the rake being pivotable from a position disposed within a trough to a position extending from a handle.
The knife member and entrail hook and the entrail rake may be connected to the same handle and disposable into the same trough. It may be desired to attach the separate members in opposing handles.
The cutting or shear blades may be rigidly connected to the handles. The cutting or shear blades may be pivotally connected to the individual handles so as to be foldable into the troughs formed by the handles.
The knife member and entrail hook may further include a detent, lip or other formed dull section to permit the placement of a user""s hand or finger to further control use of the knife member. The dulled section may be located on the first or second edge of the knife member depending on the orientation of the knife member as pivotally connected to the handle. It may also be desired to include a locking mechanism to maintain the knife, when desired, in a secured open position.
The rake member includes an elongated shaft section and a rake section extending substantially perpendicular therefrom. It is preferable to size the width of the rake section for particular sized animals. It may be desired for the rake section to have a blunted end to prevent unintended rupture of the game""s entrails. The rake end may further include tines to aid in scraping the entrails.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Various combinations of feature may be utilized singularly or in combination to achieve the invention as taught. Additional features and advantages to the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims appended hereto.